Health and Safety - Turkish style

On my overall trip there have been some fantastic examples of blood pressure tests for Health and Safety inspectors.  These include (in no particular order of risk):

·         Gravity defying masonry overhead at Angkor Wat in Cambodia

·         Human tesla coils at every street corner in Bangkok

·         The four passenger motorcycles common around South East Asia

Not to be out-done, Turkey has a few for the list.  My favourite was demonstrated on day 2 in Istanbul.

 Vanessa and I are walking down the street from the apartment.  A good Australian lady (as anyone who leaves Australia is) she has lived in 12 countries and visited over 35.  She is currently based in Istanbul.  We pass an apartment that’s in the process of being built.  She points it out.  It is gleaming white and it takes a few seconds for me to register what’s wrong with this picture. 

There’s no scaffolding.

Windows still to be installed; workmen hang out the window frames performing moves that would put the average lead-climbing rock-climber to shame.  There’s not a rope in sight and no hard hats. 

“It’s OK!” Vanessa explains, “See the blue disc on the middle of the building?”  Sure enough, there is a ceramic disc the shape of a tear-drop, cream with a blue circle surrounding a blue dot.  “That’s the evil eye. It wards off any evil spirits from the building site and keeps the workers all safe.”

Cool!  There’s a market for this. 

Tradespeople and climbers take note.  You no longer need to cart around all that ridiculous safety gear with you.  Save time, space and money by investing in an “Evil eye.”

During the trip, I forget to check in any car in which I was the passenger as to whether the air bags had been replaced by this, far more utilitarian, tool.

I’m getting an import license for these for New Zealand.  Now I just need to find out the corresponding ISO or equivalent standard I need to comply with to do it.